The NCEF has written letters to Church leaders which, till date, have not been acknowledged. This, in our view is not in keeping with Christian ethos and ideals

We have pleaded with Prof Otubu and Pastor Bosun from taking court action against Rev. Supo Ayokunle for the obvious reason that Christians in Nigeria today more than ever before need “to be one”. This is not to say that Church leaders and elders can hide criminal acts by Church leaders especially and specifically, the CAN President, who is the head of the number one organization of Christians which pride itself as the moral conscience of the Nigerian Nation.

The complaint of Prof Otubu and the reaction of CAN to the complaints; and

Complaint by the Trustees of CAN Trust Fund against the CAN President and for reasons that can be deduced from this statement, portrays CAN’s President as a collaborator with jihadists, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen and stealth jihadists in the three arms of government, the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. Such collaboration can also be detected at local government, state and national levels. These activities have reduced our dear country to a pariah state.

It is clear that two defunct big parties Action Group (AG) and National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons (NCNC) that largely represented the two large ethnic nationalities of Yoruba and Ndigbo two of the big three, the other being Hausa/Fulani have collapsed into the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), established by the Fulani. The reasoning of the NCEF is that the one unified party presented at different times since 1999 as National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) later as PDP and APC can be regarded as NPC (1) and (2), designed to provide a minority ruler, comprising one tribe and one religion.

Minority Rule

Minority rule was first introduced by the British with respect to colonialism. At independence, power was handed to the Fulani a minority that co-opted the Hausas and Kanuris during colonial rule. At independence, they progressively acquired Christian local collaborators who helped them to fight the civil war but have now been discarded. Today some clergy are the new-breed local collaborators. The success the Fulani have achieved so far is with the help of the Intelligence arm of Government. Fulani minority rule was perfected with the introduction of harem politics of two wives, Yoruba and Ndigbo and collaborators from other ethnic nationalities, traditional institution and other religions to perpetuate minority rule.

Democracy and Sharia are Incompatible

The NCEF has always held the view that (a) Democracy and Sharia are incompatible; (b)

No Muslim, no matter how benevolent or civilized, is in a position to stop Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen who have said, over and over again, that they are on a jihad which constitutes one of the tenets of Islam. These are facts not hate speech even as the Minister of Information is trying to blur the difference between fact and fake news.

The killing of Hauwa Leman and sentencing of Leah Sharibu to slavery because one was a Muslim that converted to Christianity and the other, a member of the religion of the Book (Christianity) shows clearly that President Buhari, a Muslim, cannot work against one of the key tenets of his religion, the waging of holy war – jihad. This is in addition to recorded statements of Boko Haram leader Shekau affirming this fact, yet some Christian collaborators want Christians to think otherwise and hope for divine intervention.

In the case of Atiku Abubakar another Muslim, he also has the same constraint and no matter how good his intentions, his hands are tied, because, as a Muslim he is bound to participate in the jihad directly or indirectly through stealth action such as funding. In the circumstance, the only alternative is to ensure that a non-Muslim emerges as President of Nigeria in the 2019 election.

Non-Muslim Majority

Please take a look at the map of Nigeria and it will be very clear that non-Muslims are the majority voters and majority in the population of Nigeria. NCEF position as part of the majority is that Christians are reduced to minority by Christian collaborators with the Islamists. It is in this context that NCEF see the activities of the CAN President, Rev. Supo Ayokunle and some Church leaders who, like traditional ruler of the slave trade period, traded their subjects into slavery. The CAN President and some Heads of Churches are prepared to abandon Democracy for Sharia for thirty pieces of silver like Judas Iscariot.

Gov. David Umahi’s Divine Mandate

Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi on Tuesday, was reported to have empowered pastors under his “DivineMandate” campaign platform and members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state with N500 million. Newsmen reported that the divine mandate pastors received N250 million with each of the over 2, 500 members, receiving N1 million each, while the five blocs of CAN shared N250 million. Gov. Umahi said during the disbursement that he decided to empower them in the realization that pastors and other members of the clergy were not exempted from the harsh challenges of life. [CAN, others get N500m to campaign for Umahi, VanguardOctober 23, 2018] Why should a Christian Governor lavish such a huge amount on pastors in a state that has difficulty paying the minimum wage of N18,000 (eighteen thousand Naira) and why should the Governor dole out such an amount? The answer is that the same source that provided $5,000 for each of the delegates who voted for Atiku at the PDP Convention in Port Harcourt, provided the N500 million to keep Christians in the state quiet at the appropriate time – after the February 2019 election. The same way Church leaders kept Democrats especially non-Muslims quiet after Ekiti and Osun elections. This money goes into the private pockets of these clergy which explains why the CAN President Rev. Supo Ayokunle is opposed to CAN Trust Fund and Christian Social Movement of Nigeria empowerment to fend for themselves. Dependent on Islamists’ government for funding enthrones minority rule.

Christian Values/Liberalism

It is very clear that Rev. Supo Ayokunle and some Church leaders do not appreciate Christian values which culminated in modern liberalism. In The Economist of October 22, 2018, Richard V. Reeves of the Brookings Institute wrote: “according to the old joke, a liberal is someone who can’t even take their own side in an argument. But it is not so funny now. The foundations of modern liberalism are being challenged aggressively. Western liberals, softened by decades of winning, will have to relearn how to fight.” Christians in Nigeria have become victims of their own successes. It will be recalled that Christians and Southern Nigeria began and sustained the struggle for independence. This fact was acknowledged by Sir Ahmadu Bello himself when he said in the Northern Regional House of Assembly in 1956: “Mr. President, the people of the North are the best judges of their own situation and we feel that in our present situation we cannot commit ourselves to fixing a date for the attainment of self-government. We are fully aware of all the implication involved and we want to make it abundantly clear that the destiny of the North is in the hands of the people of the North.” [My Life Sir Ahmadu Bello pg. 118] The struggle for independence by the South and Christians was done alongside with the powerless, the underdogs of the Nigerian society including the North. It must be pointed out that liberalism is a political philosophy demanding the diffusion of power—whether economic, social or political. That is why liberals want free, competitive, fair markets, free, fair and credible elections, socially liberal culture and laws allowing for human diversity; and pluralism in politics, opposed by Sharia which demands that liberals have to be eternally vigilant against the rigging of elections in favor of vested interests of one tribe and one religion. Liberalism explains why Buhari is opposed to restructuring of Nigeria. Many liberals have, in truth, become conservative, fearful of advocating bold reform lest it upset a system from which they do better than most. Some ethnic nationalities in Nigeria have become conservative and opposed to re-structuring for fear of losing their status of rulers. Liberals need to recover their fighting spirit. They need a liberal politics that is partisan in the best sense—for the best ideas; that is passionate without descending to populism; that is unafraid to take heat and make enemies. It is time for liberals to battle again for what they believe in. Therefore, only, a liberal is in a position to reverse the ills of the past and take Nigeria to the promised-land.

Sabotaging Democracy

The above reflects the situation of Democracy and Sharia in Nigeria. Vested interests of a few in Nigeria (Sharia) took advantage of liberalism and educated Nigerians to develop Sharia with funds from the Niger Delta, Nigerians who believe in Democracy only for the pro-Sharia Islamists to turn round to pay back with multitude of jihads, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen and the most dangerous, the stealth jihad culminating in opposition to re-structuring Nigeria.

Professor Otubu

The above facts also apply to Christians most of whom are democrats in Nigeria. The attack on Democracy in Nigeria is fueled by some Church leaders who are collaborators with the Islamists particularly those opposed to Prof Otubu and the CAN Trust Fund so that Government will continually dole out funds with which to sabotage Democracy as was done by Gov. Umahi of Ebonyi State. Such funds, unlike the Trust Fund that is properly set up and managed, go into private pockets. As exhibited by the CAN President with respect to funds he collected on behalf of CAN from some Governors.

Professor Otubu and Rev. Ayokunle were elected on the same day and on the same ballot, one as President and the other, as the Vice. However, Rev. Ayokunle as a collaborator of the Islamists came with his team of Islamist collaborators to take over CAN which they did and, in its place, left the Association in a shameful situation. It is very clear that if a Muslim wins the 2019 election, the jihad of Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen and stealth jihad from the Presidency, the Executive and the Judiciary, jihad will be heightened to the discomfiture of all. Democrats, Christians have only one weapon – knowledge, with which to sustain Christian Democratic values. Christians should not become victims of their own success next year by failing to go to the polling booth to cast their votes in the promotion of liberalism. Rev. Ayokunle has succeeded in establishing a paralleled collaborating CAN with jihadists

With respect to CAN Trust Fund

Christians must insist that politics and religion must be separated. Islamist induced governments in the past have used government funds not only to subsidize Churches, schools and colleges as was done during colonialism but to fund and corrupt collaborators which include Rev. Ayokunle, his cohorts and some bloc leaders who accepts bribe to sabotage democracy.

Christian Retired Military Generals

The position of Christian Military Generals on the question of jihad is very clear, Gen. Danjuma on March 24, 2018 raised the alarm that members of the Armed Forces have been compromised and that Nigerians should resort to self-help. This disclosure helped in no small measure to reduce the killings in the North-East. It requires courage, which the Generals displayed.

Gen. Obasanjo suggested to the incumbent President not to contest the 2019 Presidential election for various reasons including old age and ill-health. General Obasanjo was threatened with jihad. The other military power holders, Gen Babangida, Gen. Abdulsalami, Gen. Gasau and Gen. Wushishi are younger than the two Christian Generals power brokers named above, God forbid that the two Christians die as they are both in their 80s, who will succeed them? Christians have no other power brokers. It will be a free ride for the Islamists who now control all the two arms of the Armed Forces, Army and Airforce, the Police and other para-military services. The isolation of Christians who are not in these crucial and essential security and intelligence services is stealth jihad designed over the years by military dictatorship must be reversed immediately for the future of Democracy and rule of law in Nigeria.

National Defence Council

Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians, Negros and Negroid, Christians and Muslims, male and female Senator. “Umeh urged President Buhari to reconstitute the composition of the membership of the National Defence Council and National Security Council. Senators were split down the middle party lines yesterday (October 23) over alleged exclusion of the South from the National Defence Council. Trouble started after Senator Victor Umeh, who represents Anambra Central, sponsored a motion on the ‘Urgent need to appoint a representative of the South East into the National Defence Council and the National Security Council,’ which incurred the wrath of northern senators. Umeh, in the motion, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reconstitute the composition of the membership of the National Defence Council and National Security Council, to comply with the Federal Character Principle, as enshrined in the Constitution. The Anambra senator also urged the president to appoint an officer from the South East as a Service Chief, for equitable representation of the people of the region in the country’s security architecture. --- Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, faulted the motion. He warned that it would be an indictment of the Senate if the prayers of the motion were adopted. Na’Allah said President Buhari forwarded names of members of the National Defence Council and National Security Council to the Senate for approval and that, since every part of Nigeria is represented in the Senate, the observation ought to have been made during the confirmation of members of the two councils.” [DailySunDefence Council: South East exclusion splits Senators, October 24, 2018] To suggest that this issue cannot be raised at this point in time is stealth jihad pure and simple.

Conclusion

Christians must identify collaborators of jihadists and Islamists such as incumbent CAN President because it is a matter of life and death for Christians who might become victims of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen. After identification, such persons should be ostracized and ex-communicated from the Body of Christ;

Islamists intend to use perverted democratic elections to install an Islamist fundamentalist in power to continue their gains in the promotion of Islamization;

Minority rule can only be perpetuated through Sharia. This control of instrument of violence by one religion, (Muslim) is inimical to the peace and wellbeing of Nigeria. It is vital to investigate and identify those who promoted the jihad of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen;

Christians and their descendants, moderate Muslims in the circumstance who had fought for the independence of Nigeria need to join hands once again to ensure that a liberal (not an Islamist) is elected President of Nigeria come 2019;

The attempt to make the Armed Forces as supervisors of democracy must be halted because a non-democratic institution cannot promote democracy. Christians and moderate Muslims must see the election of 2019 as the only opportunity open to them for the promotion of liberalism, the polished aspect of democracy that is the by-product of the Church; and

It is time that Christians moderate Muslims who are liberals by conviction, come together to ensure that a liberal president is elected to return Nigeria once more to the position of one of the happiest nations in the world.